Latest news with #MVLordoftheIsles
The Herald Scotland
13 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
Why are there issues with CalMac ferries this summer?
There are currently three ferries sidelined - with two more scheduled in the pipeline in the height of the summer season for Scotland's islands. What is the latest concern? The 32-year-old CalMac veteran MV Caledonian Isles has been sidelined indefinitely - after 17 months out of action for repairs - at height of the summer season, but there are already two ferries out of action and user have been told there will be three more in the pipeline. What causes frequent breakdowns and service disruptions? The primary issue is the ageing ferry fleet, caused by a lack of investment in the ferries which continues to hit services, as the state-owned ferry operator CalMac looks to juggle its resources to cover what are lifeline services as best it can. Four years ago, more than half of Scotland's lifeline ferry network was operating outwith its working life expectancy - being over 25 years old. MV Isle of Cumbrae (Image: Newsquest) The oldest in the CalMac fleet is the Isle of Cumbrae which is now 23 years past its working life expectancy at 44 years old. The MV Lord of the Isles, serving South Uist, is itself over 30 years old and has experienced multiple mechanical failures, including corroded steel, radar faults, and engine issues. Such problems necessitate extended repairs, during which no replacement vessels are available due to fleet limitations. How do these disruptions impact the local economy? Local businesses, especially those dependent on tourism and ferry traffic, suffer significant losses during service outages. For instance, a food takeaway near the Lochboisdale ferry terminal on South Uist reported losing hundreds of pounds per sailing, leading to reduced staff hours and cancelled tourist bookings. Read more from Martin Williams: What is being done to address the ferry service issues? The Scottish Government pledged £580 million over five years to improve ferry services, including procuring new vessels. However, delays in constructing new ferries, such as Glen Sannox and Glen Rosa at the state-owned Ferguson Marine shipyard, have hindered progress. The Glen Sannox finally commenced service in early 2025, with the Glen Rosa now not expected to arrive till between April and June next year. Additionally, new ferries like the MV Isle of Islay and MV Loch Indaal are planned to enhance service reliability. A contract has also been awarded to a Polish firm for the construction of seven new electric battery-powered vessels for smaller routes. How are the ferry services paid for? CalMac, under a contract awarded by Transport Scotland, gets subsidies to cover operational costs not met by fare revenues. The current £975m eight-year Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services (CHFS) contract expired in September 2024. But CalMac are getting a contract directly from ministers without going to a competitive tender to continue running services for another ten years. The contract is worth £3.7bn. While passengers pay fares to use ferry services, they typically cover only a portion of the operating costs. CalMac (Image: PA) The subsidies are in place because some ferry routes are not commercially viable due to low passenger volumes and high operating costs. Subsidies ensure that island communities remain connected to the mainland, supporting local economies and access to essential services. Last year it was announced that ferry fears would increase by 10% from this year to allow the continued support of the ferries network in future years. How are new ferries paid for? The Scottish Government, or the taxpayer provides capital funding for new ferries via Transport Scotland. This funding is often channelled through "voted loans" to a separate state-owned company, Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited, which owns the ferries, ports, harbours and infrastructure. While funding mechanisms are in place, critics say challenges in procurement and project management have highlighted the need for ongoing oversight and reform. Why did the Scottish Government decide to go ahead with the award directly to CalMac while there is a level of upset over how ferry services are delivered? The transport secretary, Fiona Hyslop, said that a direct award "fundamentally changes the ethos of the service by shifting from a commercial arrangement to a model more focused on the delivery of a public service engaged on the particular needs of the communities it serves". The Herald has asked what this means and has still been awaiting a response. The way CalMac operates means that profits are already not distributed to shareholders but are instead reinvested into the company to maintain and enhance ferry services. She said she expects it will become a "catalyst for positive change across the Clyde and Hebrides network, based on a more efficient, flexible model of delivery that fully reflects community interests." Transport Scotland was asked to explain whether there were any value for money benefits. What is the community's stance on this approach? While the Scottish Government sees a direct award as beneficial, some community representatives have voiced opposition. Concerns include potential service quality issues and the lack of competitive pressure to drive improvements. What is the ferry operator CalMac saying about the latest issues? They told users: "Although we plan and prepare for multiple eventualities – this is not what we hoped for. Everyone at Caledonian MacBrayne is disappointed that MV Caledonian Isles is not yet ready to carry passengers. "This is keenly felt by our team, and we know that will be the case for customers and communities – especially so close to her planned return to service. We continue to work closely with the gearbox manufacturer onsite. Thank you to the communities and customers for your patience while we work at pace to resolve this further issue – and to return her to service. "
The Herald Scotland
13 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
'Chaos' over five sidelined CalMac ferries & one that 'should be written off'
There are currently three ferries sidelined - with two more scheduled in the pipeline over the next month in the height of the summer season for Scotland's islands. And there are concerns that the spin off effect will lead to disruption to a major Gaelic festival. News that the 32-year-old CalMac veteran was sidelined indefinitely - after 17 months out of action for repairs - comes at the height of the summer season and coincided with protesters converging on the Scottish Parliament to protest over the uncertainty over the future of Ardrossan as a port for ferries. Users estimated hundreds of passengers have had to be diverted 15 miles to Troon to get on either MV Glen Sannox or MV Alfred to get to Brodick on Arran after CalMac took booking for the stricken MV Caledonian Isles. Buses have been brought in to operate between Ardrossan port and Troon port for foot passengers until further notice. MV Caledonian Isles (Image: NQ) Users have now been told that the £1m-a-month MV Alfred one of two vessels serving Arran will be sidelined between July 7 and July 21 for essential maintenance having had that overhaul previously delayed. There has been disquiet as Arran is reduced to a one-vessel service early on June 25 with staff needing mandatory training. But timetables for the sole vessel MV Glen Sannox are resulting in three journeys, described by one user group official as "completely inadequate". All of MV Alfred's three return sailings have been wiped out. READ MORE Past summer timetables have had 10 return journeys on the same day. Meanwhile CalMac's booking system has been shut for new booking and amendments. CalMac has told users it will be in touch with any impacted customers with a booking between June 25 to July 6 over disruptions. It has further emerged that another of the CalMac work horses 36-year-old MV Lord of the Isles which serves the South Uist which has been the subject of protest over cuts to services is to be taken out between July 9 and 11 for cylinder head works in Oban. MV Lord of the Isles (Image: .) For several years, South Uist has regularly been the victim of cuts due to ferry breakdowns and delays in annual maintenance which climaxed in losing their service completely for nearly the whole of June, 2023. And users have been told that 38-year-old MV Isle of Mull has been sidelined to install a Marine Evacuation System (MES) - after it had its capacity cut to 45 from due to safety concerns and is not scheduled to return till the end of June. The ferry has been supporting services around the Uists because of problems elsewhere in the system and John Daniel Peteranna of the South Uist Business Impact Group (SUBIG) which started a major protest over service cuts in June 2023 said that MV Caledonian Isles should have been written off and that MV Alfred should have been bought. And he said that the work on Isle of Mull, which went out of service around May 23, would take three weeks but that that time has passed. CalMac denies saying it would take three weeks and that they are awaiting regulatory approval for it to resume normal operations as soon as possible "They never keep to plan, it is always late," he said. He said it is feared the departures would lash with one of the major island events with the Ceòlas Summer School celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, from 6th to 11th July. It emerged that 24-year-old MV Hebrides is to be removed from service on June 30 until July 3 to allow for inspection to her bow visor. Users were told that MV Alfred would be covering for its departure, but the uncertainty over MV Caledonian Isles has thrown a spanner in those works. Mr Peteranna said the Ceòlas Summer School event is a major Gaelic festival in Scotland and is internationally recognised as being significant for Gaelic language and culture. John Daniel Peteranna (Image: NQ) He said that it was feared the "risk posed by the removal of the Lord of the Isles from Lochboisdale for Ceòlas week is huge, causing major disruption for participants, tutors and the local businesses and community who rely on all our transport links to be fully operational". He said: "Ceòlas is a charitable organisation, and the possibility of this disruption causing participants to cancel their attendance, and the subsequent loss of confidence looking to the future could be extremely damaging. "The event is long-standing in the Uist calendar and is attended by many who travel to take part from all over the world." The cost of repairing 32-year-old MV Caledonian Isles spiralled to be just £3m short of what Pentland Ferries spent to buy the emergency catamaran replacement MV Alfred that has been seen as a 'stalwart' performer on the Arran route. The £11m repair cost which is expected to rise is £2m more than a catamaran ferry available for £9m four years ago, which was rejected by Scottish Government-owned procuring and ferry owning company Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL). The rejected ferry was similar in design to MV Alfred which was chartered for a further five months to October help state-owned ferry operator CalMac cope with lifeline services across the Clyde and Hebrides network. MV Alfred (Image: Newsquest) So far the bill for chartering MV Alfred amounts to £22m - which is £8m more than it cost to buy. A ferry user group official said: "It is the height of the summer season, and even with MV Glen Sannox in the mix we have a chaotic period where nobody seems to know what is happening, when it will happen and how it will happen. "MV Caledonian Isles should have been written off because by the time you calculate the total cost of the repairs which is £11m and now rising, you could actually have bought an MV Alfred. "The problems with Caledonian Isles echo that of MV Hebridean Isles which has now been put out to pasture. "The chickens again come home to roost on the government failure to properly invest in our ferries." MV Hebridean Isles, which served Arran, was retired and scrapped at the end of last year after 38 years service after it required lengthy and costly repairs - including in 2023 when it was out of action for 10 months with repairs costing £2.5m. CalMac have told users: "Although we plan and prepare for multiple eventualities – this is not what we hoped for. Everyone at Caledonian MacBrayne is disappointed that MV Caledonian Isles is not yet ready to carry passengers. "This is keenly felt by our team, and we know that will be the case for customers and communities – especially so close to her planned return to service. We continue to work closely with the gearbox manufacturer onsite. Thank you to the communities and customers for your patience while we work at pace to resolve this further issue – and to return her to service." A £97m ferry contract to build two ferries at the Inverclyde shipyard firm Ferguson Marine, owned then by the Scots tycoon and entrepreneur Jim McColl got approval a decade ago. The Glen Sannox and Glen Rosa ferries were due to start taking passengers in the first half of 2018 with both eventually to serve Arran but have run seven years or more late with costs expected rise more than five fold the original £97m contract. Glen Sannox finally started taking passengers in January. In the midst of the delays and soaring costs, Ferguson Marine under the control of Mr McColl fell into administration and was nationalised at the end of 2019 with CMAL and the yard's management blaming each other. A CalMac spokesman said: "Like many people across the network, everyone at CalMac is disappointed MV Caledonian Isles hasn't returned. We want to give communities and customers certainty over services for the remainder of summer, and that is why we are developing a plan for not having MV Caledonian Isles, and a plan for having her which can be implemented when she returns."
The Herald Scotland
03-06-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Why does CalMac still run Scotland's ferries amidst continuing ire?
The community council on the island which had told CalMac last week of the "critical importance" of either a backup plan or to get the 14-year-old ferry back in service in time for the annual Fèis Ìle, or Islay Festival that starts tomorrow (Friday) says there is already "major disruption". It came as those on South Uist and the broader Western Isles are among those who have expressed deep frustration over the state of ferry services, citing frequent cancellations, economic hardships, and feelings of neglect. One business group on South Uist, which prompted a review over how state-owned ferry operator CalMac acts during lifeline ferry breakdowns as it copes with an ageing fleet - has previously raised concerns that it has made no difference as it continues to be the victim of cuts. What is the concern on Islay? It's key ferry MV Finlaggan has been sidelined for ten days as problems have emerged during routine planned maintenance of main engines during an annual overhaul period. Key island haulier B Mundell has spoken out about the issues having on Wednesday been told they could not get a booking for trailer full of life-critical medical supplies and core and key infrastructure supplies to keep the island functioning. What was the issue on South Uist? Residents said they felt "forgotten, abandoned, and ignored" due to repeated ferry cancellations over recent years. In June 2023, CalMac rerouted the MV Lord of the Isles, leaving South Uist without direct sailings to the mainland for nearly the entire month. This followed a four-week suspension between April and May and led to a major protest involving an estimated 500 residents. The disruptions have led to business losses and concerns about population decline as some residents consider relocating. The current concern is that MV Lord of the Isles has been lost yet again to cover for problems elsewhere at a time when it was thought CalMac had rethought its strategy. What causes these frequent service disruptions? The primary issue is the ageing ferry fleet, caused by a lack of investment in the ferries which continues to hit services, as the state-owned ferry operator CalMac looks to juggle its resources to cover what are lifeline services as best it can. Four years ago, more than half of Scotland's lifeline ferry network was operating outwith its working life expectancy - being over 25 year old. MV Isle of Cumbrae (Image: Newsquest) The oldest in the CalMac fleet is is the Isle of Cumbrae which is now 23 years past its working life expectancy at 44-year-old. The MV Lord of the Isles, serving South Uist, is itself over 30 years old and has experienced multiple mechanical failures, including corroded steel, radar faults, and engine issues. Such problems necessitate extended repairs, during which no replacement vessels are available due to fleet limitations. How do these disruptions impact the local economy? Local businesses, especially those dependent on tourism and ferry traffic, suffer significant losses during service outages. For instance, a food takeaway near the Lochboisdale ferry terminal on South Uist reported losing hundreds of pounds per sailing, leading to reduced staff hours and cancelled tourist bookings. Read more from Martin Williams: What is being done to address the ferry service issues? The Scottish Government pledged £580 million over five years to improve ferry services, including procuring new vessels. However, delays in constructing new ferries, such as Glen Sannox and Glen Rosa at the state-owned Ferguson Marine shipyard, have hindered progress. The Glen Sannox finally commenced service in early 2025, with the Glen Rosa now not expected to arrive till between April and June next year. Additionally, new ferries like the MV Isle of Islay and MV Loch Indaal are planned to enhance service reliability. A contract has also been awarded to a Polish firm for the construction of seven new electric battery-powered vessels for smaller routes. How are the ferry services paid for? CalMac, under a contract awarded by Transport Scotland, gets subsidies to cover operational costs not met by fare revenues. The current £975m eight-year Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services (CHFS) contract expired in September 2024. But CalMac are getting a contract directly from ministers without going to a competitive tender to continue running services for another ten years. The contract is worth £3.7bn. While passengers pay fares to use ferry services, they typically cover only a portion of the operating costs. CalMac (Image: PA) The subsidies are in place because some ferry routes are not commercially viable due to low passenger volumes and high operating costs. Subsidies ensure that island communities remain connected to the mainland, supporting local economies and access to essential services. Last year it was announced that ferry fears would increase by 10% from this year to allow the continued support of the ferries network in future years. How are new ferries paid for? The Scottish Government, or the taxpayer provides capital funding for new ferries via Transport Scotland. This funding is often channelled through "voted loans" to a separate state-owned company, Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited, which owns the ferries, ports, harbours and infrastructure. While funding mechanisms are in place, critics say challenges in procurement and project management have highlighted the need for ongoing oversight and reform. Why did the Scottish Government decide to go ahead with the award directly to CalMac while there is a level of upset over how ferry services are delivered? The transport secretary Fiona Hyslop said that a direct award "fundamentally changes the ethos of the service by shifting from a commercial arrangement to a model more focused on the delivery of a public service engaged on the particular needs of the communities it serves". The Herald has asked what this means and has still been awaiting a response. The way CalMac operates means that profits are already not distributed to shareholders but are instead reinvested into the company to maintain and enhance ferry services. She said she expects it will become a "catalyst for positive change across the Clyde and Hebrides network, based on a more efficient, flexible model of delivery that fully reflects community interests." Transport Scotland was asked to explain whether there were any value for money benefits. What is the community's stance on this approach? While the Scottish Government sees a direct award as beneficial, some community representatives have voiced opposition. Concerns include potential service quality issues and the lack of competitive pressure to drive improvements.
The Herald Scotland
30-04-2025
- General
- The Herald Scotland
CalMac: Why do islanders continue to be angry over ferries?
South Uist has been particularly badly hit by a shortage of vessels on lifeline ferry routes and has been served by 37-year-old veteran MV Isle of Mull which is restricted to just 45 passengers since the start of the year ,while its regular ship - MV Lord of the Isles covers elsewhere. For several years South Uist has regularly been the victim of cuts due to ferry breakdowns and delays in annual maintenance which climaxed in losing their service completely for nearly the whole of June, 2023. What is the concern on South Uist? Residents said they feel "forgotten, abandoned, and ignored" due to repeated ferry cancellations over recent years. In June 2023, CalMac rerouted the MV Lord of the Isles, leaving South Uist without direct sailings to the mainland for nearly the entire month. This followed a four-week suspension between April and May and led to a major protest involving an estimated 500 residents. The disruptions have led to business losses and concerns about population decline as some residents consider relocating. The current concern is that MV Lord of the Isles has been lost yet again to cover for problems elsewhere at a time when it was thought CalMac had rethought its strategy. What causes these frequent service disruptions? The primary issue is the ageing ferry fleet, caused by a lack of investment in the ferries which continues to hit services, as the state-owned ferry operator CalMac looks to juggle its resources to cover what are lifeline services as best it can. Four years ago, more than half of Scotland's lifeline ferry network was operating outwith its working life expectancy - being over 25 year old. MV Isle of Cumbrae (Image: Newsquest) The oldest in the CalMac fleet is is the Isle of Cumbrae which is now 23 years past its working life expectancy at 44-year-old. The MV Lord of the Isles, serving South Uist, is itself over 30 years old and has experienced multiple mechanical failures, including corroded steel, radar faults, and engine issues. Such problems necessitate extended repairs, during which no replacement vessels are available due to fleet limitations. How do these disruptions impact the local economy? Local businesses, especially those dependent on tourism and ferry traffic, suffer significant losses during service outages. For instance, a food takeaway near the Lochboisdale ferry terminal on South Uist reported losing hundreds of pounds per sailing, leading to reduced staff hours and cancelled tourist bookings. Read more from Martin Williams: What is being done to address the ferry service issues? The Scottish Government pledged £580 million over five years to improve ferry services, including procuring new vessels. However, delays in constructing new ferries, such as Glen Sannox and Glen Rosa at the state-owned Ferguson Marine shipyard, have hindered progress. The Glen Sannox finally commenced service in early 2025, with the Glen Rosa expected by September 2025, although there are worries it may not be available till next year. Additionally, new ferries like the MV Isle of Islay and MV Loch Indaal are planned to enhance service reliability. A contract has also been awarded for the construction of seven new electric battery-powered vessels for smaller routes. How are the ferry services paid for? CalMac, under a contract awarded by Transport Scotland, gets subsidies to cover operational costs not met by fare revenues. The current £975m eight-year Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services (CHFS) contract expires in September 2024. While passengers pay fares to use ferry services, they typically cover only a portion of the operating costs. CalMac (Image: PA) The subsidies are in place because some ferry routes are not commercially viable due to low passenger volumes and high operating costs. Subsidies ensure that island communities remain connected to the mainland, supporting local economies and access to essential services. Last year it was announced that ferry fears would increase by 10% from this year to allow the continued support of the ferries network in future years. How are new ferries paid for? The Scottish Government, or the taxpayer provides capital funding for new ferries via Transport Scotland. This funding is often channelled through "voted loans" to a separate state-owned company, Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited, which owns the ferries, ports, harbours and infrastructure. While funding mechanisms are in place, critics say challenges in procurement and project management have highlighted the need for ongoing oversight and reform.
The Herald Scotland
30-04-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
CalMac under fire from 'sack board' island protest group over ferries
South Uist has been particularly badly hit by a shortage of vessels on lifeline ferry routes and has been served by 37-year-old veteran MV Isle of Mull which is restricted to just 45 passengers since the start of the year ,while its regular ship - MV Lord of the Isles covers elsewhere. But despite a "crisis summit" called by an island business group attended by transport secretary Fiona Hyslop over two weeks ago and in advance of the May Day bank holiday, they say there has been no movement in dealing with an immediate lack of service. For several years South Uist has regularly been the victim of cuts due to ferry breakdowns and delays in annual maintenance which climaxed in losing their service completely for nearly the whole of June, 2023. It drew the short straw because it is felt according to the way CalMac runs its lifeline service disruption management, that the least number of people will be affected if their allocated vessel, MV Lord of the Isles, is withdrawn to help out elsewhere. And John Daniel Peteranna of the South Uist Business Impact Group (SUBIG) which started the protest said: "We are still penalised for living in Uist. " Video: Flashback to the South Uist ferry protest of the summer of 2023. CalMac said that they are investigating options for improvement to the service. Concerns had previously emerged that there has been a failure to conduct island communities' impact assessments or consult over the method used to decide how services are axed due to breakdowns of Scotland's ageing ferry fleet in breach of the Scottish Government's ground-breaking Islands (Scotland) Act made law in 2018. The catalyst for action over the management system came when an estimated 500 residents, 200 cars, 40 vans and 20 lorries converged on Lochboisdale – the port which links South Uist to the mainland – two years ago to protest about the cancellations. Then CalMac chief executive Robbie Drummond then made a series of what some called "PR visits" to the island where apologies were made and actions explained. One South Uist public meeting attended by some 250 "unanimously" lodged a vote of no confidence in the ferry company angry at the island's treatment. Islanders were told by the former transport minister Kevin Stewart, three days before he resigned his position the same summer that he had ordered a review into the 'matrix' methodology used to deal with ferry shortages to ensure that it takes into account "the actual economic impacts to the islands". It was expected to ensure that South Uist did not become the default option for cuts. But the South Uist Business Impact Group which started the protest and called for the summit do not believe that it has made any difference. The MV Lord of the Isles continues to be used as a relief vessel for other islands while the 32-year-old MV Caledonian Isles has been out of service since the start of January last year, the MV Hebridean Isles had to be retired and other vessels have had problems identified during winter overhauls. While concerns continue about a lack of spare capacity for emergencies, it was suggested that South Uist swap boats so that it gets the regular Colonsay ship MV Clansman for just one day to help make up for the losses. But the group say that so far there has been no response from CalMac. Mr Peteranna of the impact group, who previously called for boardroom heads to roll at CalMac over the way services were being handled said: "The visits back then have changed nothing. "Now, the minister has told CalMac that they need to find a solution. We have been told yes, yes and yes. But again nothing has changed. "We are not asking for anything that isn't reasonable." He said that MV Clansman, which can carry 638 passengers and 90 cars, has at least a once-a-day services to Colonsay, which, according to the 202 Scottish Island Survey has a population of 104. The resident population of South Uist is over ten times that at1442. The current timetable for services to Colonsay shows there is a daily return service to and from the mainland on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday and two return journeys service on a Wednesday and Saturday. "They are ignoring us," said Mr Peteranna. "We don't see that there is any disruption from doing this. But they don't appear to be listening to options while May and June are the busiest months. MV Finlaggan (Image: CalMac) Meanwhile, the group say that while MV Finlaggan has been delayed in dry dock, it means that the reduced capacity service provided by MV Isle of Mull will be extended well into the peak holiday season at a vital time for island businesses. Read more from Martin Williams: They have now written to CalMac asking again that they now put in place an increase in capacity between Lochboisdale and Oban, pointing out that it "should not be one island that suffers all the time". Ms Hyslop had said there was a longer-term solution with funding earmarked for another new large ferry to serve the Western Isles. She said money was allocated in the 2025/26 budget to replace the ageing MV Lord of the Isles, which serves South Uist, within "about three years". MV Lord of the Isles, which normally sails from Lochboisdale on South Uist to the mainland port of Mallaig, is currently serving other routes and will not return until mid-May. MV Isle of Mull is instead sailing from the island to Oban, but a fault with its emergency evacuation chutes means it is only permitted to carry 45 passengers instead of the 900 it can normally accommodate. The Scottish government also announced a £4.4m "resilience fund" targeted" at island communities worst affected by disruption but that South Uist would "definitely benefit". During the 1980s and 90s CalMac would typically purchase a new ship every few years but since 2007 the procurement role has been taken on by a separate state-owned company, Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited, which owns the ferries, ports, harbours and infrastructure. MV Glen Sannox (Image: Jane Barlow) Problems over the construction of two new gas-powered ferries Glen Sannox and Glen Rosa ordered in 2015 contributed to a slowdown in ferry replacement - and much of CalMac's large ship fleet is now beyond its expected operational life. A CalMac spokeswoman said: 'At the summit on South Uist, we made a commitment to review what we could to improve the current service, and we stand by that. We've been investigating options, some of which were made at the summit, in the context of wider network deployments and dependent on vessel moves,as major units departed and entered their overhaul period. 'This means considering things like vessel and port interface and displaced traffic on other routes, and it takes time to work through possible options. We expect to provide a formal update on what's possible later this week. 'The delay to the delivery of MV Isle of Islay, whilst due to events outside of anyone's control, is having a real knock-on effect on our vessel deployment. Were she in service, one of MV Isle of Arran or MV Lord of the Isles – which usually serves South Uist – would be free to deploy elsewhere. 'We made a commitment to bring SUBIG into the Western Isles Ferry Group and they have already attended the most recent meeting. 'In the meantime, the South Uist community will be updated on our progress, and we hope to offer ways in which we can ease the constraints on their service as soon as possible.' A Transport Scotland spokesman said: 'We understand the impact that delays and disruption have regrettably had on our island communities and this government fully recognises the key role ferry services play in supporting the economic, social and cultural development of island communities. 'Alongside CalMac, we continue to monitor the situation closely, particularly in terms of the impact on those island communities most affected and will continue to constructively engage with islanders to ensure we deliver a sustainable ferry service that is fit for the future. 'Ministers and officials continue to support and impress upon CalMac to ensure all available options are being explored to return the vessels to service and support our island economies. Scotland's island communities face distinct challenges, not least in terms of their economic and social resilience, which is why this Government has identified an initial £4.4 million to establish a resilience fund to support island businesses, with a view to targeting areas and sectors of most acute need.'
